Flynn begins to pay back RTÉ

THE colourful Mayo TD Beverly Flynn yesterday began paying off the €1.25 million she owes RTÉ in order to avoid bankruptcy proceedings.

Today is the final deadline for the independent deputy to pay over the entire settlement that arose out of her failed libel action against the station.

And it is likely to pave the way for her return to Fianna Fáil, three years after being expelled from the party.

It has been speculated that she may return to the fold as early as the autumn, despite strong opposition from some quarters of the party in Mayo.

A spokesperson for RTÉ yesterday confirmed that Ms Flynn had begun to make the payment electronically.

The settlement, made in late June, was less than half the amount owed by Ms Flynn to RTÉ. In all, she owed the station €2.8m but had not paid a cent. A previous offer of €590,000 had been rejected by the station.

There was widespread criticism that taxpayers would have to foot the deficit of €1.5m but RTÉ said that it was better to settle than receive nothing.

One of the main reasons behind Ms Flynn rushing to make the settlement was a comment by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern immediately after the election that she would be allowed back into Fianna Fáil if her legal problems were resolved.

RTÉ had begun bank-ruptcy proceedings against her. Under law, a TD who is declared bankrupt is no longer entitled to be a member of the Dáil. Ms Flynn had challenged the constitutionality of that provision in the High Court.

Last June, Ms Flynn said she did not feel she needed to apologise over the matter, even though the upshot of the failure of her libel action was that she had encouraged customers of the National Irish Bank to evade tax.

“I’ve always acted in good faith. I believe that 100%. I have defended that to the best of my ability over the last 10 years,” she said.